Risotto ai Funghi e Tartufo (Truffle-Infused Mushroom Risotto)

Risotto was the first "real" food that I learned how to cook. After discovering a bag of Arborio rice hiding in the back of a cupboard I decided that at 15 years old, I probably ought to be able to make something other than mac 'n cheese, hot dogs, and tuna sandwiches.

Learning to make risotto inspired me to learn more about cooking, and the rest is history, or so they say.

Due to these beginnings risotto retains a special place in my heart. It's also damn delicious, and its versatility has meant that I have been able to adapt the dish as my palate has become more sophisticated.

I know there are loads of recipes out there for easy/ no-stir risotto, but I've found that the key to a good, creamy risotto is  constant stirring.

The flavour of the last (few) months for me has been mushrooms. I can't seem to get enough of them. Due to the rather high volume of mushrooms and truffle-infused oil I've used, this recipe is  very earthy. I am not exaggerating. If you want a milder flavour I'd recommend cutting down on the truffle oil and the mushrooms. If like me you can't get enough of your funghi then proceed and enjoy!

Recipe
1 cup Arborio rice, unrinsed
1.5 pints vegetable stock
White wine
6 cloves garlic (to taste), chopped
1 white onion, chopped
Few hundered grams mushroom (here I have used dried porcini, fresh forestiere, fresh baby button, and fresh shiitake)
1 or 2 sprigs thyme (to taste), removed from stem
Olive oil
Truffle or truffle-infused oil
20ish g freshly grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)
Knob of butter 

Step 1
Chop the onion and garlic. Cut the mushrooms into either quarters or slices.

Step 2
Heat a healthy glug of olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, cooked until softened and translucent without browning.

Step 3
Add the rice and a drizzle of truffle-infused oil; stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the rice becomes translucent.

Step 4
Pour enough wine into the pan to just cover the rice. Continue to stir the rice constantly until most of the wine is absorbed. Then pour just enough vegetable stock into the pan to cover the rice, again stirring constantly. Continue to switch between adding small amounts of wine and small amounts of stock.

Step 5
After roughly 10 minutes add the mushrooms to the pan. Again, continue stirring constantly. Add more stock when necessary.

Step 6
The risotto should be cooked around the 30 minute mark. However, always make sure to taste, because the timing could be shorter or longer. When the rice and mushrooms are fully cooked and the sauce has become thick turn the heat off. 

Step 7
Stir a know of butter and the Parmesan cheese through the risotto. I've found that with sufficient stirring through the cooking process, I rarely need much Parmesan at all to get a nice, creamy texture.

Step 8
Stir through the thyme and a drizzle of truffle-infused oil. Serve and enjoy!